Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } Style Definitions table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} MASON STRIKES GOLD TO END HEBBURN’S RUN
Monkton Vipers 1-0 Hebburn Town Gold (HT: 0-0)
By Jeff Marshall
Starting line-up: Agar; Ferguson, Brown; Coates, Catley, Collins; Reed
Subs: Gargett, Marshall, Mitchell.
Goals: Mitchell
Another early start, yet a much healthier crowd than last week, for this eagerly awaited clash of two of the title contenders. The stillness of the early autumn morning was disturbed only by the watery sunlight and low level cackling from a bevy of mums who all found themselves rotad on for the football in the same week. Dads nursing hangovers back at base, no doubt.
After frantically searching, unsuccessfully, to find a pair of socks to match his coaching garb, The Bald Eagle landed eleven minutes late, sporting an inappropriate formal grey pair.
The referee, in time and in black, resembled a young Steve Coogan, but it was there that the similarity to Alan Partridge ended; the boy had a fine game.
Stung by the Eagle’s fury at the sluggish start against Sparta, the Vipers were at it from the off. A probing pass from Ferguson found Coates who was dispossessed at the expense of a corner that came to nought. Two minutes later, the two combined again: Coates’ chip struck the top of the bar from a Ferguson left wing corner.
Coates and Ferguson again combined before the former played a delightful through ball to Reed, but the defenders closed down smartly. Reed was denied two minutes later when he lost control of the ball after he was played in by Ferguson.
Max Brown – shorts pulled up so high that they must have been ordered in a chest size – oozed confidence and composure in the early stages.
The Eagle rung the changes after ten minutes, but in a departure from his familiar twenty minutes per player strategy, he informed Callum Collins that his work for the day was done. Collins exudes promise, but The Eagle knew this was a must-not-lose fixture and kept Ferguson on throughout supported by an experienced, solid unit to whom positional disciplines are now second nature. Collins, lively and honest but new to the fold, is learning quickly.
The spiralling corner count confirmed Vipers’ dominance, but Hebburn’s massed defensive ranks gave them little time on the ball. When they did get a sniff of a chance, the red and yellows were thwarted by the assured handling of a positionally competent ‘keeper.
Mitchell fired wide with a left foot strike from a Ferguson, who moments later unleashed a pile driver that was parried by the keeper, Gargett followed in, but his shot was superbly saved.
Hebburn threatened fleetingly, most of the time as a result of Vipers’ goal kicks. Ferguson has the power to clear half way from goal kicks, but if nobody slots into his midfield holding role when he takes them the ball will keep coming back – and it did. The Eagle will long since have mulled over whether to instil in his midfielders the need to be narrower in such situations, or to entrust ‘keeper Agar with goal kick duties.
On 19 minutes came the breakthrough. The hitherto immaculate Hebburn ‘keeper spilt a regulation catch. Mitchell, alert and unruffled, slotted home to the despair of the crestfallen Gold number one.
Hebburn were forced to attack, but time and again crucial challenges were made by Gargett, Catley, Ferguson and Marshall to preserve the Vipers lead. Magnificent determination to hold on to the slender advantage.
When the ball broke loose in the Vipers’ penalty area on 22 minutes Agar – a model of concentration – reacted smartly to pull of a fine save in a one-to-one situation with a Hebburn striker.
Monkton still carried a threat on the counter attack. Coates fired a foot shot just with a minute remaining.
A nervous period of injury time sent Vipers hearts a-flutter. Agar again saved well before a corner in the dying seconds flashed across the face of the Monkton goal.
The Vipers held on to claim a deserved win from a keenly fought, and highly enjoyable encounter, rich in quality.
Eagle said…
“Unbelievable saves, Matthew. One criticism of the team performance is that we need to be better in our decision-making – know when to take a touch or shift it. I’m so proud of you all”
Snot Funny
Mid-way through the first half, Kyle unleashed the most incredible, involuntary expulsion of nose content ever witnessed.
